Training and Supports for Early Learning and Child Care Professionals

The early years are an important time for children to develop the emotional, social and cognitive skills needed to become lifelong learners. Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) play a major role in designing and implementing environments to help kids reach their full potential. 

ECEs are crucial to building healthy communities because they support all children and families by inspiring young minds through learning, love and laughter. ECEs foster a sense of community outside of the home, which builds trust and strengthens relationships. 

Thank you to all early learning and child care professionals for creating access to meaningful environments for children and families in York Region. Your commitment to building the foundation of early learning and supporting healthy child development will enhance the future of our communities. 

Please see the following resources and supports available to support you on your journey to becoming an Early Childhood Educator:

• College of Early Childhood Educators
• What to expect from a career as an Early Childhood Educator - Ontario Colleges
• Financial grants for early childhood education programs

Career Path to becoming an Early Childhood Educator

• Secondary school career path
• Post-secondary career path
• Workplace career path

• Early Childhood Education FAQ video playlist
• How has your Early Childhood Education degree shaped your understanding of early learning?
• What are the most important traits students pursuing Early Childhood Education should possess?
• How can people interested in pursuing a career in Early Childhood Education enter the field?
• What challenges do new Early Childhood Education graduates face and how can they overcome them?
• Why is Early Childhood Education a great career path and opportunity for a newcomer to Canada?
• Why is gender diversity important in Early Childhood Education?

York Region supports programs for children from birth to 12 years of age and offers professional development and training opportunities throughout the year. Training sessions help build capacity of early learning and child care professionals including licensees, supervisors, program staff/caregivers, licensed child care providers and non-profit volunteer board members.

Register for Early Learning and Child Care Professional Development sessions

Training and workshop spaces are limited. If you register and can no longer attend, please cancel your registration so your spot can be given to the next participant on the waiting list.

For more information or to share topics for future workshop ideas, please email @email

Join our Early Learning and Child Care Professional Development mailing list

Sign up to our new York Region Children's Services Early Learning and Child Care Professional Development mailing list to receive information on professional development and training opportunities for early learning and child care professionals who work in York Region. You will receive information about:

• Free professional development and training opportunities offered by York Region Children’s Services
• Community resources
• Sector-specific information and updates
• Other professional development training opportunities offered by the community

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New Operators Training: Child Care Operators Funding Information Session

This mandatory training provides an overview of the funding offered by York Region. Participants learn about funding options and schedules outlined in the Child Care Services Agreement including Child Care Fee Subsidy, Resources for Inclusion Support in Early Learning Settings (R.I.S.E.), General Operating Grant, Wage Enhancement, Special Purpose Funding, Licensed Home Child Care Base Funding and Rate Incentives. Funding conditions and information on how to apply for and comply with funding, including audit requirements, is also shared during this training.

Training is available for current and new child care operators, owners, supervisors, accountants and bookkeepers. It is held bi-monthly with a maximum group size of 20 participants.

If you have any questions, please send an email to @email or call 1-877-464-9675 ext. 72028.

Register for Child Care Operators Training

Record of Attendance Handbook, Resources for Inclusion Support in Early Learning Settings (R.I.S.E.) and Understanding OCCMS Billing

This mandatory training teaches operators how to complete their Record of Attendance through the Ontario Child Care Management System (OCCMS) and reporting requirements when working with families who receive Child Care Fee Subsidy. Operators also receive information on the application process for Resources for Inclusion Support in Early Learning Settings (R.I.S.E.) classroom supports.

Training is available for current and new child care operators and supervisors who have a Child Care Services Agreement with York Region. Training is held monthly and space is limited.

If you have any questions, please send an email to @email or call 1-877-464-9675 ext. 72450.

Register for Child Care Operators Training

Child Care Operators Meetings

These meetings provide participants with updates from York Region Child Care Services, including service system and contract management updates. Participants also receive Regional updates and updates from Ontario’s Ministry of Education.

Meetings are available for current and new child care operators, owners and supervisors, and are held twice a year in the spring and fall.

If you have any questions, please send an email to [email protected] or call 1-877-464-9675 ext. 72174.

To register, please visit the Child Care Operators Training registration page. Space is limited and two staff per head office can attend these meetings.

Professionals working in EarlyON Child and Family programs can participate in capacity building and training opportunities offered by York Region.

For more information about these seminars, please email [email protected] or call 1-877-464-9675 ext. 77094

To learn about and register for training opportunities, visit:

• EarlyON Child and Family Centres
• Early Learning and Child Care Professional Development

Positive Early Childhood Education Program (PECE)

Inclusion Support Services staff offer the Positive Early Childhood Education (PECE) program to licensed early learning and child care (ELCC) programs throughout York Region. PECE is a training program that builds on the capacity of early learning and child care staff in supporting children of all abilities. The program encourages responsive care and rich learning opportunities to promote children’s social and emotional skills, and interest in learning. 

The PECE programs helps educators to: 

• Manage common classroom behavioural difficulties and address developmental concerns
• Improve communication with co-workers and parents about behaviour or related concerns 
• Reduce stress associated with child care responsibilities 

Early learning and child care programs must already be enrolled with Inclusion Support Services to participate in the PECE Program. To learn more about the PECE Program and the benefits for early learning and child care classrooms, please visit the PECE website 

To begin, speak with your Early Interventionist for more information to determine if PECE is right for your program.

R.I.S.E. Inclusion series modules

York Region Inclusion Support Services has developed four learning modules as part of the Resources for Inclusion Support in Early Learning Settings (R.I.S.E.) series. These modules will provide you with important information related to inclusion, what it takes to create inclusive environments and what legislation expects of us when creating community programs that are equitable and accessible to all. You will also learn about the R.I.S.E. program and how to access supports as needed to build more inclusive practices within your classroom. There will be an accompanying resources page for each module. Each module takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes to complete. Upon completion of the four modules and a short survey, participants will receive a certificate of participation.

The following topics are covered in the modules:

1. What is Inclusion? (25 minutes)
   An introduction to inclusion, what it means and how it can be applied in early learning settings. Learn about the benefits of inclusion for all children, families and early learning and child care professionals.
2. Inclusive Classrooms (20 minutes)
   How do you build an inclusive environment? Learn how to identify ways to support the needs of all children in the classroom setting and create learning opportunities that allow each child to meaningfully participate in all activities.
3. Legislation and the Duty to Accommodate (25 minutes)
   Understand how legislation, including the Duty to Accommodate and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, impacts the work of early learning and child care professionals.
4. The R.I.S.E. Program (20 minutes)
   An overview of the Resources for Inclusion Support in Early Learning Settings (R.I.S.E.) program and how to access available supports as needed to apply inclusive practices in your classroom.

How to access the modules

• Visit the following link to complete the training: https://yorkonlinelearning.informetica.com/
• On the York Region Account Login Page, select “Enter Access Code" and when prompted, input the word “inclusion"
• Register by filling in the required fields
• After the account is set up, modules can be accessed at any time

Capacity building workshops in licensed early learning and child care programs

York Region supports inclusive programs for children from birth to 13 years of age in licensed child care programs. Child care operators can participate in virtual capacity building workshops and training sessions.

Register for Early Learning and Child Care Professional Development

Training and workshop spaces are limited. If you register and can no longer attend, please cancel your registration so your spot can be given to the next participant on the waiting list.

Capacity Building Training Videos

York Region has developed six training videos, narrated by Inclusion Support Services Early Interventionists, to help early learning and child care (ELCC) professionals learn more about inclusive practices so that all children can meaningfully and successfully participate in early learning classrooms. These educational videos will provide you with immediate and ongoing access to training information, tools and supports that you can use to build inclusive environments and support children with special needs and their caregivers. You can also download a list of accompanying resources for each video to use in your classrooms. Each training video takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes to complete.

How to access the videos

• Provide the following link to staff who would benefit from training about inclusive practices: yorkonlinelearning.informetica.com
• On the York Region Account Login Page, the staff member will select “Enter Access Code" and, when prompted, input the word “inclusion"
• The user will register themselves by filling in the required fields
• After the account is set up, learning videos can be accessed at any time
  • After each video is completed, staff can complete a short survey, as well as access a certificate of completion from the system

Enhanced Staff e-modules

Inclusion Support Services has developed four sequential online learning modules specifically designed to strengthen the capacity of enhanced staff and increase their knowledge in building on inclusive practices in Early Learning and Child Care programs. Child care operators are encouraged to share the online learning modules with the enhanced staff and classroom educators in their programs.

How to access the modules:

• Provide the following link to staff who would benefit from training about inclusive practices: yorkonlinelearning.informetica.com
• On the York Region Account Login Page, the staff person will select “Enter Access Code" and, when prompted, input the word “inclusion"
• The user will register themselves by filling in the required fields
• After the account is set up, modules can be accessed at any time; staff can launch a module from where they left off if they need to log out before completion
• Once all modules are completed, the staff will receive:
  • A short survey
  • A certificate of completion, which they will be able to print from the system

The Ministry of Education licenses home child care agencies that contract individual providers/caregivers who offer child care out of their own homes. Home child care agencies recruit, screen, approve and supervise caregivers who provide child care in their own homes for children from birth to age 13.

All licensed home child care providers must follow the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 requirements.

For more information on how to become licensed and more, check out the benefits of licensed home child care for providers handout and visit the Home Child Care page.

This section contains various supports such as resources, tools, information for early learning and child care professionals in York Region.

EarlyON Child and Family Centres Professionals

EarlyON agencies can access guidelines, forms, media tips and more. To access the EarlyON Dropbox Folder with the Visual Identity Guidelines, templates and logos, agencies must contact their Community Program Coordinator directly or email @email

EarlyON in York Region

• York Region Transforming Early Years Programs and Services: York Region’s initial plan submitted to the Ministry of Education in September 2017
• York Region Community Engagement Summary Report (November 2018)
• York Region Funding Guideline for EarlyON Child and Family Programs

Mental health supports for educators and children

York Region has developed the following resources to help child care and early learning educators support children and their families, as well as their own mental health:

• Mental Health Supports for Educators – Handout
• Mental Health Supports for Children – Handout

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Guides and Programs

A Public Health Guide for Child Care Providers

Child care providers are entrusted with the important task of caring for young children. Children depend upon their care providers to maintain a safe and healthy environment to grow and develop. The Public Health Guide For Child Care Providers offers up-to-date information and resources on how to deliver high quality child care and can be found online at york.ca/childcareguide

Child Care Fee Subsidy Program

York Region helps make child care more affordable for families with low and moderate income, by offering a Child Care Fee Subsidy that reduces the amount of money that families have to pay licensed child care providers to care for their child(ren) under the age of 13. Learn more at york.ca/childcaresubsidy

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Online tools

Early Years Community Profiles

The York Region Early Years Community Profiles is an interactive online resource designed to support program, service and policy planning for young children and their families at the neighbourhood level in York Region. The tool provides 64 neighbourhood profiles in addition to a York Region overview profile.

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Plans and Reports

Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan

The 2020 to 2023 Child Care and Early Years Service System Plan is York Region’s community blueprint supporting enhanced collaboration and integration among partners to respond to children and families’ evolving needs. It sets a vision, priorities and key actions to strengthen and integrate child care and early years services over the next four years for children from birth to age 12 and their families.

The plan’s vision is to work with partners and stakeholders to support children’s learning and development and families’ overall well-being through:

• Services that are accessible, affordable, responsive, and high-quality, and that are welcoming to all York Region children and families
• Planning decisions that are focused on outcomes, evidence-based and are financially sustainable

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Professionals working with children with special needs

York Region Early Intervention Services (EIS)

The years between birth and school entry are critical to a child’s development. Studies have shown that intervening in a child’s development early has the greatest impact on future outcomes. York Region Early Intervention Services (EIS) assists children and their families in this important period. Early Intervention Services delivers programs that support families and early learning and child care professionals who have children with special needs at home or in licensed child care settings.

Early Intervention Services offers two programs: Inclusion Support Services and Infant and Child Development Services.

Please visit york.ca/specialneeds to learn more.

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Provincial resources

Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014

The Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEYA) came into effect on August 31, 2015 and contains rules governing child care in Ontario. It applies to unlicensed child care, home child care providers contracted by a licensed agency, licensed home child care agencies and licensed child care centres.